Initialed cigarette lighter and the like



June 4, 1963 A. GOLD ETAL 3,092,119

INITIALED CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. l, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l 15 le 5 ,Z 59 22 zo 53 ,8

WHWLE w1/Wigs 2 ABRAHAM GOLD HERM AN GOL D HERMAN BOGIN zo zz AWWA/ty 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. GOLD ETAL INITIALED CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKE June 4, 1963 Filed Nov. 1, 1960 United States Patent 3,092,119 INITIALED CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKE Abraham Gold, Bronx, Herman Gold, Flushing, and Herman Bogin, Roslyn, NY., assignors to Gold Bros., Inc., New York, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. l, 1960, Ser. No. 66,572 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-79) This invention relates to the jewelry art and particularly concerns a case for a cigarette lighter or the like in the shape of a three dimensional letter of the alphabet.

According to the invention there is provided a case termed of a precious metal such as gold, silver, or any other suitable material. The case has a cover forming part of a letter of the alphabet and a base forming another part of the letter. The base and cover are hinged to gether. The case is adapted to contain a mechanism for a cigarette lighter, lipstick dispenser or other personal article.

It is therefore .one object of the invention to provide an ornamental case for a personal article in lthe form of a letter off the alphabet.

It is another object to provide a jewelry case having the form of a letter of the alphabet and adapted to contain a mechanism for a cigarette lighter, lipstick dispenser or the like.

A further object is to provide an ornamental case having a base and hinged cover, both parts being shaped to define a letter of the alphabe-t, and a mechanism adapted to advance and retract a cosmetic container in the case when the cover i-s opened and closed respectively.

For further comprehension of the invention, rand of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will .be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim-s in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings `forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. l is a perspective View of a case embodying the invention shown in a closed position.

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of the case of FIG. 1 in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan View of the closed case.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the closed case.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View on lan enlarged scale taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows side elevational veiws of a plurality of closed cases according to the invention, including the case o-f FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views similar to FIG. 5 of another jewelry case in closed and open positions, respectively, embodying another form of the invention.

Referring to the draw-ings, there is shown in FIGS. l-S, a metal case 10 including a hollow, flat rectangular body or base 12 and a hollow cap 15 hinged to the base by a pintle 14. The case has the general shape of a letter M when closed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The cap is formed at its top with an indentation 16 which provides the V-shaped recess for the letter M.

The base has its bottom 18 formed with two indentations 20, 22 which define the inverted V-shaped recesses for the yletter M. The base has a top wall 24 in which is an aperture |which receives a short tube 28 (see FIG. 5). A wick 30 is contained within the base and its free end 32 is engaged in the short tube. The wick end projects from the tube at the top of the base as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. A tube 34 is mounted vertically in the base and contains a coil spring 36 secured in the tube by a setscrew 38 at its lower end. A liint 40 is engaged by the spring and presses upwardly against a serrated wheel 42. The wheel 42 is rotably journaled on ICC a pintle 44 carried by ears 46 on a plate 48 secured to the top of the base.

The wheel 42 and wick end 32 are all covered and concealed by the cap 15 when the case is closed as shown in FIG. l. The cap` is held closed by a leaf spring 50 secured by a pin 52 to plate 48. The leaf spring has a free end which engages an inturned end 54 of the cap. When the cap is pivoted open to the position of FIG. 2, the cap assumes an over-center position with the spring end engaging the inturned end 54 of the cap.

A quantity of lighter fluid 56 is contained in the base. rPhe fluid is poured into the base through a threaded hole 58 shown in FIG. 5 closed by a screw '59 in the bottom of the base. A mass of cotton 55er other fibrous material can be placed in the cavity base to prevent evaporation and too rapid flow of liuid out of the case.

I'he case can be roughened to improve the hand grip thereon by applying stippling 60, engine turned lines, or the like. Marginal portions 62 may be left smooth as shown in FIGS. l and 2. The cap fits snugly on the base when closed to extinguish the flame of the lighted wick. The -wick is lighted by manual turning of wheel 42 to cause sparks from flint 40 to ignite the fuel taken up by the wick.

FIG. 6 shows other cases formed in the shapes of letters A through Y. Each case has a cap 15 hinged to the base 12 by a pintle 14. Margins 62 of the sides of the base and cap are left smooth while the flat sides are roughened with stippling or the like.

In articles defining letters such as B and K indentations 23 are formed in a narrow end wall. Articles defining letters C, G, O and S have rounded cap corners 25. Similar rounded corners 27 rnay be formed at the bottoms of the bases of cases defining letters J and U. Some articles have central openings 29 delining inner portions of letters as shown in cases defining ,letters A through En Gn I Iu 1, HL, 0,91 through R and U. The article dening the letter S has indentations 31 in both side margins of the base. All the cases are preferably made of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, etc., and alloys thereof.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown .another case 10 having the form of a letter M but adapted to contain a lipstick container V65 in base 12a. The container 65 is inserted in a cylindrical cup 66 which is movable axially in the base 12a. A partition 19` defines a compartment 17 with the side walls and adjacent end Wall 21 in which cup 66 is movable. The cup has an upper side portion formed with a rack gear 68 which is engaged by a semispur gear 69 rotatable on a pin 70. The gear is tilted angularly by a depending finger portion 72 of a lever 75. The lever has a free end 77 engageable with the inturned end 54 of a cap 15a. Lever 75 pivots on a pin 79 carried in ears 76 secured to the top wall `24a lof the base. A recess 31 is formed in the top wall and receives a coil spring 33 which biases the lever to the position of FIG. 7 to hold the cap closed by engagement with the free end 77 of the lever on end 54 of the cap. Leaf spring 63 is secured by pin 61 to the top of the case. Its free end presses on the diametral edge of gear 69.

When the cap is opened, the inturned end 54 raises end 77 of the lever and causes finger portion 72 to press on the gear 69 and turn it so that the cup 66 is raised. This raises the lipstick container 65 out of the base to a position where the knurled ring 80 of the lipstick container is accessible for turning to extend the lipstick 82 supported in threaded sleeve 81 as shown in FIG. 8. The lipstick is retracted into container 65 by turning the knurled ring 80 in the opposite direction. Leaf spring 63 restores the gear `69 to the position of FIG. 7 and lowers the cup 66. The container can be removed from cup 66 during use or can be left in the cup. After the lipstick 82 is retracted, the cup 66 will automatically retract when the cap 15a is closed since lever 75 will be tilted to raise lthe nger portion 72 and permit the gear to be restored by spring 63. A polished metal mirror 73 may be tted in cap 15a for use during application of lipstick to ones lips.

In outward appearance the several cases of FIG. 6 all resemble letters of the alphabet. The cases may contain mechanisms of cigarette lighters, lipstick dispensers or other personal articles.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having -thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A jewelry case in the form of a letter of the alpha het, comprising a hollow base having a top wall, a cap having an open end hinged thereat to the base to cover said top wall, said cap having an inturned edge at its open end, a lever pivotably mounted on said top wall and having a free end engageable with said inturned edge to hold the cap closed on the base, gear means rotatable in the base, said lever having another end engaging the gear means to turn the same when the cover is being opened, a support for a personal article having a rack gear engaged with the gear means and adapted to be elevated when the gear means is turned and the cap is being opened, said support being a cylindrical cup, a partition in the base guiding the cup in axial movement when the cap is being opened and closed, a cylindrical container for lipstick disposed in said cup for elevation and use when the cap is opened, there being spring means biasing Y 4 the lever to hold the cap in a closed position, and other spring means biasing the gear means to hold the support in a lowered position in the base.

2. A jewelry case in the form of a letter of the alphabet, comprising a hollow base having a top wall, a cap having an open end hinged thereat to the base to cover said top wall, said cap having an inturned edge at its open end, a lever pivotably mounted on said top wall and having a free end engageable with said inturned edge to hold the cap closed on the base, gear means rotatable in the base, said lever having another end engaging the gear means to turn the same when the cover is being opened, a support for a personal article having a rack gear engaged with the gear means and adapted to be elevated when the gear means is turned and the cap is being opened, said support being a cylindrical cup, a partition in the base guiding the cup in axial movement when the cap is being opened and closed, a cylindrical container for lipstick disposed in said cup for elevation and use when the cap is opened, there being spring means biasing the lever to hold the cap in a closed position, other spring means biasing the gear means to hold the support in a lowered position in the base, and a mirror in the cap exposed when the cap is opened for use in conjunction with application of the lipstick.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,372,238 Weston Mar. 27, 1945 2,951,584 Bauer Sept. 6, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 418,341 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1934 423,236 Italy July 10, 1947 986,102 France Mar. 2l, 1951 

1. A JEWELRY CASE IN THE FORM OF A LETTER OF THE ALPHABET, COMPRISING A HOLLOW BASE HAVING A TOP WALL, A CAP HAVING AN OPEN END HINGED THEREAT TO THE BASE TO COVER SAID TOP WALL, SAID CAP HAVING AN INTURNED EDGE AT ITS OPEN END, A LEVER PIVOTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TOP WALL AND HAVING A FREE END ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID INTURNED EDGE TO HOLD THE CAP CLOSED ON THE BASE, GEAR MEANS ROTATABLE IN THE BASE, SAID LEVER HAVING ANOTHER END ENGAGING THE GEAR MEANS TO TURN THE SAME WHEN THE COVER IS BEING OPENED, A SUPPORT FOR A PERSONAL ARTICLE HAVING A RACK GEAR ENGAGED WITH THE GEAR MEANS AND ADAPTED TO BE ELEVATED WHEN THE GEAR MEANS IS TURNED AND THE CAP IS BEING OPENED, SAID SUPPORT BEING A CYLINDRICAL CUP, A PARTITION IN THE BASE GUIDING THE CUP IN AXIAL MOVEMENT WHEN THE CAP IS BEING OPENED AND CLOSED, A CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER FOR LIPSTICK DISPOSED IN SAID CUP FOR ELEVATION AND USE WHEN THE CAP IS OPENED, THERE BEING SPRING MEANS BIASING THE LEVER TO HOLD THE CAP IN A CLOSED POSITION, AND OTHER SPRING MEANS BIASING THE GEAR MEANS TO HOLD THE SUPPORT IN A LOWERED POSITION IN THE BASE. 